Hosiery welt and method of making the same



Aug. 19,- 1969 A. WILCHER HOSIERY WELT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 21. 1967 United States Patent 015cc 3,461,694 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 US. Cl. 66-172 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A welt construction for ladies hosiery and a method of making the same comprising feeding four yarn ends into a four feed circular knitting machine as it is knitting a stocking welt. The yarn ends each comprise a torque yarn having alternate Z and S twist segments with the lengths of each segment extending about the welt. The successive segments engage the needles in a nonsynchronized and indiscriminate relation with respect to engagement of the yarn ends with the needles to form a combination of all defined bands of stretch fabric in the welt with the bands of different widths.

SUBJECT MATTER The present invention relates to an improved method of knitting welts in ladies hosiery and to an improved welt construction for ladies hosiery.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The manufacture and sale of ladies hosiery is a very competitive trade and consequently there is considerable need for improved methods for making ladies hosiery with greater economy. Heretofore one problem in the manufacture of ladies hosiery relates to the efficient manufacture of the welts of ladies hosiery formed with patterns of successive bands of contrasting fabric material. In the manufacture of the welt portion of hosiery it is necessary to provide stretch and elasticity to accommodate considerable stretching to which the welt may be subjected. To accomplish this and to provide successive bands of contrasting fabric, hosiery has been manufactured on a single feed circular knitting machine. In using such a machine a torque yarn having alternate sections of S (right) twist and Z (left) twist yarn ends have been used to knit the Welt portion. Use of such yarn ends results in the formation of a welt having a succesive bands formed alternately of S and Z twist yarns. The difficulty, however, with such a knitting process is that the use of a single feed machine is slow and uneconomical. In order to manufacture hosiery economically it is preferable to use a four, six or eight feed knitting machine.

vHeretofore, however, such machines have not been used in connection with yarn ends formed of torque yarns having both S and Z twists because it has never been considered possible to use such yarns in the fabrication of welts having band patterns.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved hosiery welt construction and a method of knitting the same in an economical fashion. In the present invention a multifeed circular knitting machine is used to knit welts from yarn ends wherein the yarn ends each comprise a torque yarn having alternate S and Z twist segments with the lengths of each segment long enough to knit a course at least the circumference of the welt.

The present invention provides a ladys hose formed of successive bands of fabric with the different bands in a particular stocking welt varying in width.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for knitting ladies hosiery having welting with a pattern of successive bands of stretch material with the bands formed of courses of different yarn ends with the yarn ends having alternate S and Z torque yarn segments of varying lentghs.

In the present invention there is provided a method for knitting ladies hosiery on a multifeed circular knitting machine comprising feeding a plurality of yarn ends to knitting needles of the machine as the machine is knitting the hosiery welt. The yarn ends are each comprised of a torque yarn having alternate S and Z twist segments with the lengths of segments preferably long enough to knit a course at least the circumference of the welt, and with each segment preferably but not necessarily of equal length. The yarn ends being knit into the Welt are knit with the successive segments engaging the needles in a nonsynchronized and indiscriminate relation with respect to the engagement of the segments of other yarn ends with said needles.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in conjunction with the drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a welt section of ladies hosiery embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of bobbin or feeds in a circular knitting machine utilizing the present invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of four torque yarn ends having alternate S and Z segments of varying length for illustrating the method by which hosiery embodying this invention may be knit.

The Welt schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 is knit from four yarn ends of the type of torque yarn herein described. These yarn ends will form successive courses of either S or Z-type yarn segments with the sequence of successive courses comprising a substantially random arrangement of S and Z segments. This random arrangement is knit in a fashion hereafter described and results in a stocking having a welt with successive bands of alternate courses knit with S or Z segments. The number of successive courses in each band will vary and consequently the width of the bands will vary. This variation will be random from stocking to stocking and come quently it is unlikely that any two stockings will be exactly alike, even though knit on the same machine. The bands of alternate S and Z courses are illustrated schematically by numerals 10 to 18 in FIG. 1. In this arrangement band 10 may for example comprise 8 courses of S twist, 11 may comprise 10 courses of Z twist, 12 may comprise 4 courses of S twist, 13 may comprise 2 courses of Z twist, etc. These bands, 10 to 18, inclusive, may vary from the number therein illustrated depending upon the width of the welt desired and the manufacturers preference as to pattern. Preferably, however, the number of bands should range somewhere between and 20 and should have a total width from the upper end of the stocking to the bottom of the welt of, in the order of, 2". The bands may individually vary in size. For example, band 12 may be A while band 16 may be A" wide.

The welts of the present inventio are knit from torque yarn ends having successive segments of S twist and Z twist yarn. S twist yarn is yarn which is twisted to the right while Z twist yarn is yarn that is twisted to the left. For illustrative purposes FIG. 3 illustrated segments 20, 21, 22, 23 of four yarn ends having successive segments (205, 202; 215, 212; 228, 222; 235, 23Z) of S and Z twist yarns with the numeral followed by an S indicating an S or right twist yarn and the numeral followed by Z indicating a Z or left twist yarn. In the preferred embodiment the yarn ends used are 20 second reverse twist yarn ends. However the length of successive S and Z segments may vary depending upon the specific band widths desired. Thus, for example, yarn ends having between and 30 second reverse twists have been found satisfactory. Further the lengths of successive segments will normally vary from each other and from segments in other yarn ends. The yarn segments should preferably all be of sufiicient length to knit complete courses about the welt. However the overall effect will probably be satisfactory if some segments are too short to knit a course completely about the welt. Thus preferably most of the segments should be of such a length as to knit a course that encircles the welt at least once.

The yarn ends used in the preferred embodiment comprise a 50 denier torque nylon multifilament yarn having 25 turns per inch. The denier, however, may vary over any desired range normally used for welts. The number of turns per inch in the torque yarn may also vary depending upon the degree of stretch desired. Thus, for example, 15 to 35 turns per inch in the torque yarn has been found satisfactory. Fewer turns per inch than 15 do not provide adequate stretch or satisfactory pattern appearance. More than 35 turns per inch tends to become somewhat unmanageable in knitting.

In knitting the welt illustrated in FIG. 1 a four feed machine is preferred. However modifications of this invention may be made on other multifeed machines such as a two, six or eight feed machine. A four feed machine however has been found to be preferred since it will fabricate welts having bands that are substantially more attractive than other multifeed machines. Suitable four feed machines are a Mark 4 Reading machine made by the Textile Machine Works of Reading, Pa., or a four feed Fidelity machine made by Singer Manufacturing Company. Four yarn ends preferably of 50 denier, second twist, turns per inch nylon multifilament yarn are fed conventionally to the four feeds, schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 at 1, 2, 3 and 4, during the knitting of the welt of ladies hosiery. The knitting and the feed of these yarn ends are conventional. It is not necessary to synchronize or control the relation of successive S and Z twist segments in the different yarn ends. Nor is it necessary to make sure the lengths of the segments are precisely equal. In fact, it is not easy as a practical matter to keep these lengths uniform. These yarn ends may be fed to the knitting needles without controlling or synchronizing the feed or preselected timing so that the ends of successive segments of the different yarn ends reach the knitting needles at different times. Thus, FIG. 3 illustrated schematically the relationship of yarn ends as they reach the knitting machine as the different bands are formed. Each of the yarn ends 20 to 23, inclusive, as illustrated, is provided with successive S and Z twists of about 20 second turns. For illustrative purposes yarn ends 22 and 23 are slightly different from yarn ends 2% and Z1 since these segments are not all precisely the same. They will, however, be generally of the same length. The yarn ends are fed into the knitting machines with no specific relationship between the yarn ends 20 to 23.

The random sequence of S and Z twist courses can best be understood by examining a welt as it is knit along an arbitrarily selected line 40 extending lengthwise of the welt or perpendicular to the courses. We may assume that this line 40 is selected between feeds 1 and 4 in FIG. 2, but it may be selected between or at any other of the feeds. This line 40 will cross successive courses. If we assume that the yarn ends illustrated in FIG. 3 are fed into the knitting machine toward the left and have already been knit into the welt and the segments therein illustrated are each long enough to knit one course each, the lines 40a to 40i, inclusive, will indicate the nature of successive courses at line 40. Thus the uppermost course is knit by the segment 208 at line 40a and consequently is an S twist course. The succeeding courses formed initially by the four yarn ends at line 49 are in order Z, S and S as indicated at 10. If as asumed these four yarn end segments change before the succeeding courses cross line 40 the following four courses are all Z twist as indicated at 11'. On the same assumption the order of courses at line 40 are the sequence of courses indicated successively at 10 to 18. Thus there will be 36 successive courses in line 40 in the following order:

S/Z/SS/ZZZZZ/S/ZZZ/S/SSSSSSS/ Z/SSS/ZZ/SS/ZZZZZZ In this specific example it will be noted that 12 successive bands are formed ranging in width from one course to eight courses with five of the twelve bands having more than three courses. Thus the random knitting will result in well defined bands with the probability that a number of the bands will be of at least three courses in width.

It should be understood that the segments of FIG. 3 may be considerably longer than exemplified above, and that each of the portions indicated by 10' to 18' may individually form several successive courses before the relations therein indicated change. Thus portion 10' may if the yarn segments in that portion are long enough form repeat courses several times before the courses all become Z twist as indicated in portion 11. Thus the first 8 course might be, for example: SZSSSZSS. However successive bands in such a case will nonetheless be formed although of different widths and numbers than previously described.

It should be noted because of the inherent inability to precisely control the lengths of the successive S and Z twists both as they are being twisted and as they are being knitted into the welting that the particular sequence of bands will not necessarily be repeated and will not have the said widths. However, because of the relatively long lengths of these successive segments compared with the number of yarn ends used, well defined bands in the welting will be formed although it is possible that between these well defined bands there will be formed very narrow bands comprising a few courses. The overall effect, however, of the welting is to provide a stocking having a welting of substantially well defined bands of contrasting fabric.

What is claimed is:

1. A ladys hose having a multiband welt consisting of a plurality of bands circumscribing the welt, said bands formed of a plurality of yarn ends knit into a plurality of courses with said yarn ends each comprising a torque yarn having alternate S and Z twist segments with the length of at least some of said segments long enough to knit a course at least the circumference of the welt.

2. A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said successive bands have a contrasting appearance formed by knitting each band substantially entirely of one of S 5 6 or Z twist yarn end segments and the adjacent bands of 3,009,312 11/1961 Seem et al. the other of said S or Z twist yarn end segments. 3,098,368 7/1963 Miles 66--178 3. A construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein the 3,181,313 5/1965 Crawford et a1. 6642 yarn ends each have successive segments of reverse twist 3,310,962 3/ 1967 Mahler et al. 6642 extending in length at least once around said welt and 5 with between 15 and 35 turns per inch. FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited 1,446,651 France.

UNITED STATES PATENTS RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner 2,102,730 12/1937 Meyers 66-173 2,909,028 10/1959 Comer et a1 57--157 XR 2,952,116 9/1960 Burleson 57157 202 2,966,775 1/ 1961 Seem et al 66178 XR 

